Breakingviews: Deal failure worsens Publicis’ succession woe

May 9 - The Publicis Omnicom merger is off. This leaves French Publicis without a plan for replacing 72-year-old CEO Maurice Levy. Breakingviews says this intensifies the company’s succession problems

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So what does the failure of the publicists on the -- deal mean for Maurice Levy. Pip him song has been out looking into this. I'm he's been reluctant to -- from a long long time is this is this not gonna force -- Well it's it's an open secret that could be issues that and needs to be someone who is takeover of the way and then -- he's gone three years ago the board decided. That it would raise the -- at the age limit for -- manages from 70% of five to keep him that. Just to keeping and in Italy and raised seventy agreed. Because the board begged him to stay on and so he really. From the reluctantly. Agreed to be. No seriously speaking there's a strategy going on. Producer has to -- in size -- it wherever you would with a real. Pool of the successes. All the possible deputies that have beaten talked about moved he'd trained demoralized within the company's. We've seen people rising and fall and -- you know. Credence to the assumption that voiced -- view is that really what -- -- ready to -- -- So now the failure of of the big merger is an opportunity for the board to review that. And -- -- and to really -- moments maybe it's time to really get to it yet because because he in -- said he was gonna get Chan and -- What one of the problems -- by the way it was determined for life is gonna -- when if you thirteen month. As Castillo. And then move on to the chairman rattled -- -- that -- mean that you did another time that he wasn't really. Why why would that just -- of that one with the means to -- For him to -- -- -- -- -- -- from old to track -- -- does this -- given the 27 years he's -- now. In this company has done well strategic intent on twelve to two pitch to one would have been such as though there's no really really document but he's stellar record. As companies he would -- he really build the company. And he says he's had some music and and so there's no question about it but at some point. You know we know way the merger was a 35 billion dollars successfully cut it to finally. And opportunity grew and grew and leave with a bank in. Groom could she's hence. Did you -- fight because it could use his needed to be seen as the company's league lead -- quiet and come. The it could increase the give up on one of the key -- to Valencia which because. -- hopefully that this deal was. Was due to. Of the CO2 companies until. It's that exhibit that hold -- hold effective. Plus some peninsula tax reasons -- -- my system. As -- include including personally. Moving the companies in the Netherlands with so what'll -- sort of do what happens now what what do you think what happened and how quickly does this need to happen to keep. And let's face it some. If you look at the share price is about publicis moment calling it doesn't seem line deal. Shareholders -- speaks he's about as to where did you give him credit as we all knew in recent weeks that it got much more complicated than than people thought at the beginning but what. That envisioned as big and so that that there's there's some reason for the I think considers it goes back to prevent -- Which he's there a strategy to grow. By bolt on acquisitions Moreland then made one in the UK -- -- week. And so keep on doing. But at the same time if there needs to be big change that strategy. It would be good enough -- -- to decide about it commendable argued yet many things that kept fans like me. By the way you'll see my interview with -- on sort of WPP in case his views which by the way you might find quite surprising. They are on the hindsight of platform now on demand as well. I'm actual trouble this is rises.

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